CNNSI - Top 100 players of 2014

Three raptors made the top 100 - probably not the players you would think and not in the order you would think. Of note, JV got honorable mention.
84. Amir Johnson
81. Kyle Lowry
64. Rudy Gay

No mention of DD. Considering the honorable mention list (26 players) this puts DD outside of the top 126 players -
considering there are 30 teams, if you assume an even distribute of the top 120 players, DD is not even considered the 4th best player on any team.

Johnson often goes overlooked because of the role he plays and the team that employs him, but he deserves credit for making the Raptors decisively better whenever he was on the floor last season. That’s no fluke; Johnson’s ability to defend both power forwards and centers at a well-above-average level gives him game-changing potential, particularly in conjunction with solid rebounding and finishing ability. Johnson still isn’t the smoothest pick-and-roll player, but he’s grown more comfortable with adjusting after the catch — an important development that makes him that much more potent on the move. He’s noticeably quicker than most big men his size and leverages that speed with frequent movement and consistent effort. That partially explains why Johnson does so well in claiming out-of-position rebounds. By being the first to the ball on such a frequent basis, Johnson rated as an elite offensive rebounder and one of the best at converting those offensive boards into points, according to Synergy. Those contributions might seem marginal on first glance, but Johnson’s dirty-work efforts pay off big for Toronto. — R.M.

Lowry can be a bit frustrating in that he’s a first-rate defender who doesn’t always commit, but he creates enough offensively to make up for some of his wilder streaks. He is a lot to handle when in control of an offense. Lowry is physical enough to overwhelm many point guards and quick enough to dart past bigger opponents, a combination that makes him a solid dribble-drive initiator. His passing in those situations, though, is merely functional. He misses open teammates and botches certain reads, if only because Lowry can lose track of his options when in motion. Still, he does a generally fine job of both scoring in the lane and setting up quality shots, albeit not at a high enough level to push him further up these rankings. — R.M.

The Rudy Gay Experience was an all-around bummer in 2012-13: He put up his worst scoring and shooting numbers since his rookie year of 2006-07, a particularly rough turn of events for a high-volume shooter. It wasn’t just that. In January, Gay was traded from a Memphis team that went on to make the conference finals to a Toronto team that was desperately chasing a playoff spot it couldn’t possibly reach. Many observers panned the Raptors’ move and the executive who acquired him, Bryan Colangelo, was replaced this summer. Even if his shooting numbers recover to some degree, it’s hard to envision Gay’s succeeding in carrying this team to the playoffs, even in a down year for the bottom of the East. Then what? — B.G.

This is mostly all true... I guess.

"That was Nasty right? Cocked that Joint back and banged on 'em." -James Johnson

When was the last time Toronto had 3 players in a list like this? This is good.

Just to provide some context, here are the other teams Toronto is likely contending with in the East for the 6-8 seeds and the players they had in the top 100 plus the "notable omissions" for just outside top 100:

So Boston, Charlotte, and Washington have less top 100 players, Milwaukee has the same amount and Cleveland, Detroit and Atlanta have more. That sounds okay to me.

Those notable omissions are not worth debating Aaron Afflalo and DeMar have eerily similar games and numbers, Andrea made that list, so did Javale. For me the point is that SI actually recognized 3 Raps. That feels like a first in a longtime. When was the last time that the Raptors had an actual starting 5 at the start of a season? Do the Raps need improvements to the starters? Hell yeah! But at least there will be no patchwork starters.

JV will be on this list next year...that would 4 of the 5 starters on the list

Their depth has been an asset. The frontcourt, led by Maciulas and Valanciunas, has been dominating. Valanciunas, who has added 15 pounds this offseason, has received personal instruction from Sabonis. The Lithuanian hero has served as an unofficial assistant coach, rebounding balls, offering quiet observations, lending an assured presence. The pair have talked, often daily, the wisdom of the elder passed down.

with the help of a not a great player but a legendary one, you have to feel good about this.